Asheville Report Card: F to Senate gun vote

The Report Card issues grades A through F, and incompletes where necessary, to a variety of news items in this space. Got an idea that makes the grade? Send it to JBuchanan@CITIZEN-TIMES.com

F to the U.S. Senate for its filibuster of the Manchin-Toomey bipartisan compromise bill on gun safety. Although polls show 9 of 10 Americans support elements of the bill such as universal background checks, 44 senators, including North Carolina's Richard Burr, voted against the measure. It would have expanded checks to cover firearms sales at gun shows and over the Internet, but would have exempted sales between friends and acquaintances outside of commercial venues. That last point is important, as misinformation surrounding it likely influenced some votes. Sen. Joe Manchin D-W.V.a, said, "I was surprised when the latest alerts from the NRA were filled with so much misinformation about the firearms background check legislation.'' Manchin said the National Rifle Association was telling members the bill would criminalize private sales, adding, "I don't know how to put the words any plainer than this: that is a lie."

A to the sendoff for soldiers being deployed to Afghanistan from the N.C. National Guard's 210th Military Police Company. Friends, family and National Guard leaders gathered Wednesday at Southwestern Community College to see the company off. More than 25 soldiers will serve a year in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. The unit served in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1991, and was deployed again in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.

The Sylva-based unit has received numerous awards, including Valorous Unit Award for service in Iraq and the N.C. Governor's Unit Citation for outstanding performance. Sylva Mayor Maurice Moody, a veteran, told the soldiers: "You have the gratitude and respect of the American people. We want you to know that you are never alone."

A to a memorable moment in Boston. The NHL's Bruins returned to the ice Wednesday night in the first significant sporting event in the city since the bombings at the Boston Marathon on Monday. Legendary national anthem singer Rene Rancourt had scarcely begun his rendition of the song when the crowd - simply took it over, singing as one voice. Rancourt gracefully stepped aside and let the fans have the moment, crafting a touching and lasting show of solidarity for the city and country.

A to upcoming Earth Day events. Monday is the official day, but the weekend is filled with events. Among them is the fifth annual Asheville Earth Day noon-10 p.m. Saturday in downtown Asheville on Lexington Avenue. The free event will feature musicians, promote conscious awareness and green living. Visit http://avlearthday.org/ to learn more. On Sunday, The Western North Carolina Alliance and a coalition of green groups will hold an interfaith gathering of congregations from across the region 7-8 p.m. Sunday in Pritchard Park. This is the first event hosted by WNC Green Congregations and is its first faith vigil for the Earth in WNC in a gathering to share gratitude and appreciation for Earth. Contact Anna Jane Joyner at 258-8737, ext. 205.

D to misguided legislation in the N.C. Senate. Senate Bill 287, would allow some local governments to end the practice of notifying their constituents about government activities from annexation to zoning laws, etc., by running legal notices in local newspapers. Under the legislation governments could squirrel the notices away on their websites. We'll acknowledge newspapers have a financial interest in this argument. Small newspapers could take a considerable hit; for many larger papers the impact would be negligible. The public, however, could take a serious hit on transparency. Not everyone has a computer, and very few who do spend their time roaming around governmental websites.

Particularly disturbing in this saga was an incident earlier this week where Sen. Tommy Tucker, of Waxhaw, reportedly told a newspaper publisher taking him to task over the bill "I am the senator. You are the citizen. You need to be quiet." Those aren't exactly the words you to hear coming out of the mouth from a public servant.

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Asheville Report Card: F to Senate gun vote

The Report Card issues grades A through F, and incompletes where necessary, to a variety of news items in this space.